Time is precious. Most of us can’t read even a fraction of all the books produced. So, when choosing books to review, I aim for those which I think will benefit the people I write for: every-day, church-going Christians in the western world.
Occasionally I will review books popular with Christians and evaluate how they stand up in the light of God’s Word. Reading faith-shaping material is beneficial in many ways and so I encourage you to read the following reviews and dive into the good stuff!
Each of these reviews appeared in a church magazine, either Clarion or Reformed Perspective. By all means, feel free to share any of these with your friends. Thank-you! Peter Holtvlüwer
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Just Thinking: 95 doodles to noodle over (2017) by Jason Bouwman
You’ve never seen a book like this! The author has a very intriguing way of using sayings, pictograms, and commentary to visually communicate powerful Christian truths. Jason is a Christian who “lives artfully” and aims to inspire believers to do the same no matter their talents or calling. Read the review for all the details.
Growing in the Gospel: Sound Doctrine for Daily Living (2016) by Jason Van Vliet
The Bible is a huge book – fascinating, compelling for Christians, but its teachings are not always easy to be grasped. Over the centuries, the church has worked hard to summarize those teachings and professors of dogmatics are on the fore-front of this work. With a pastor’s heart and a nimble pen, Dr. Van Vliet offers up a thorough but eminently readable explanation of what God teaches us in Scripture and how to live it out. The review fleshes this out and also explains who can benefit from it and how.
Adam in the New Testament (2012) by J.P. Versteeg
Debates about whether Adam was a historical figure or just a “teaching tool” continue to rage in some quarters. Most often the issue is the interpretation of Genesis 1-3. But what about looking at this issue through the lens of the New Testament? What did Christ and the apostles believe and teach about Adam? Professor Versteeg goes into careful analysis of relevant NT texts and advances this discussion considerably. Click the title for the full review.
Troubled by Tribulation: The “Left Behind” Series Evaluated (1995-2007) by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins
Fascination with the end of times continues to occupy the thoughts of many. Tim LaHaye’s original novel focussing on the secret return of Jesus Christ, the “rapture” of believes and the time of “Tribulation”, exploded into a series of 16 best-sellers. It has also spawned at last three films including a reboot starring Nicolas Cage (2014’s Left Behind). It’s popular, but is it sound, biblical teaching? What should Christians think of the Left Behind series? This review provides some insights.